The '25-'26 Philadelphia Flyers thread

[Austinfan]

Briere has gradually remade the Flyers development coaching group over two years.
This seems to be his MO, he doesn't clear house but moves out the guys he doesn't have confidence when he has a replacement lined up.

[VoteForKalas]

Wow, I hope both of them are ok. Sounds awful.

[LegoDoom]

Is this really going to just keep going because I didn't agree and the conglomeration on AI didn't agree with your assertion that Centers don't cover as much ice as other positions.

No, it's because you didn't realize what I was implying. Couts doesn't need to shift to a wing because he's slow. When a center cycles out high, then he he covering the top of the circles to the bottom of the circles. And hopefully he just has to cover the top of the circles to the boards in order to stop the rush. Somehow, you don't understand this fundamental part of hockey.

And I do understand why you are trying to prove me wrong. AF said that Couts needs to move to wing and I said that centers don't have to cover much ground. It was in regard to transition. The center should already be high, so he doesn't need to cover more ice.

I'm sorry for the confusion. Unfortunately you were hell bent on proving me wrong than understanding my argument.

[bigegypt0417]

I didn't really pay attention but it seems like Penn State is now a college hockey destination?

How Gavin McKenna to Penn State affects Flyers, Porter Martone

[LegoDoom]

I didn't really pay attention but it seems like Penn State is now a college hockey destination?

I'm sure there is a Pedo U joke to be made here.

[andyb]

What is really interesting is how college hockey is going to get a whole lot better now. I guess it is somewhat rare for a draft eligible player to play a year of college before being drafted, the big change is the NIL money. $700K for a top player is just going to kill the junior leagues even if the prospect is a year older. Whether it will change the incentives for players to remain in college is unclear. Many college players spend 2 or 3 seasons there now after being drafted. They become free agents after 4.

I wonder if 4 years of NIL money and then complete free agency is a big incentive for the second tier prospects (think back of the 1st round and 2nd round picks). Starting the clock on the entry level contract may mean less now if you can make almost as much in college.

[LegoDoom]

My initial reaction is that they are going to get better because they are older. Also, no one really likes college hockey, so just go pro.

[andyb]

In basketball if one is not going to be a lottery pick they now can make more money in college than in the NBA. The same might start to be true for hockey. Most entry level deals are also 2-way deals. $900K in the NHL and then something in the $150-$300K range in the AHL. College money will be more guaranteed than that.

[Austinfan]

For the "names."

The 2nd and 3rd rd picks who need a couple years in college before they break out probably won't see much NIL money until they're juniors.

[andyb]

They don't need to see much. $200-$300K a year plus scholarship would be much more support than they get in juniors or in the AHL on a 2-way deal.

Junior hockey will be diminished and the number of kids who stay in college for 4 years to become true free agents will increase. The NHL might need to revisit entry level deals in their collective bargaining.

[zambonir]

It really only takes one donor, as at PSU, to create five or six nice NIL deals. They also got Jackson Smith and 2024 Calgary 5th-rounder Luke Misa from the OHL. All your bigger NCAA programs are gonna have that. Maybe some of the smaller schools who get to the Frozen Four will have a harder time competing.

But there are also Tier II junior players and college players flipping to the CHL, now that it's a two-way street.

I don't think it will keep a ton of guys from staying in college if their ELC is on the table but yeah it would make it easier to just reach free agency again, almost like a baseball player.

[bigegypt0417]

Interesting rule change if it happens...

Flyers Could Benefit Greatly from Potential Surprise AHL Rule Change

[andyb]

That is probably a good thing. The Caps' last cut out of training camp last year was a 19-year-old in Andrew Cristall who was too good for juniors but was uncertain to stick in the NHL all season. So he went back to juniors and dominated. The last thing teams want is a 19-year-old to be a healthy scratch in the NHL when they need to play every day. With all their high picks this season the Flyers will almost certainly have a candidate for that AHL role next season.